The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 245

Chapter 245: Annexation

Marquis Luckner froze upon hearing those words. Not long ago, they had used the pretext of “refusing to quell the rebellion” to threaten the royal family.

Joseph, however, shifted the topic smoothly:
“I hear you’re planning to organize an ‘Alliance Front’?”

Marquis Luckner immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He realized that Marquis Saint-Véran must have confessed everything. Hastily, he waved his hands repeatedly:
“No, no, that was merely...”

Joseph raised his hand to interrupt him:
“His Majesty is extremely displeased with your negligence of duty and your tolerance of the rebellion in Auvergne. Moreover, your private connections with other officers to influence royal decisions constitute a grave error.”

Although deeply alarmed, Marquis Luckner keenly noticed the nuanced phrasing in the Crown Prince’s words—His Majesty had merely defined his actions as “negligence of duty” and a “grave error.” This implied there was room for negotiation!

Resolving himself, he adopted an attitude of utmost sincerity:
“I am willing to accept any punishment for the mistakes I have committed.”

Joseph nodded.
“First, you must personally go to the Palace of Versailles and admit your wrongdoing to His Majesty.”

Noticing the Marquis’s face turn pale, Joseph added,
“Rest assured, your position will not be revoked.”

The Marquis was overjoyed. This was the boundary he had hoped for. He nodded quickly:
“I shall obey Your Highness’s instructions, visit His Majesty promptly, and offer my heartfelt repentance!”

Joseph continued:
“Second, the Auvergne Corps must implement a new officer selection and promotion system. Simply put, civilians must be allowed opportunities to rise to officer ranks, and promotions will no longer involve payments.”

Hearing this, Marquis Luckner immediately sensed the underlying implications. Cautiously, he asked,
“Your Highness, are you saying I would still command the Auvergne Corps?”

“Yes, as long as you strictly implement the new officer system and accept oversight from the General Staff, you will remain the corps commander.”

Joseph’s vision for military reform was clear. He had no intention of relying on these old military factions for warfare. When the time came, he could transfer talented individuals into the Royal Guard Corps, leaving the original structures intact. After this reprimand, these factions would likely refrain from causing further trouble.

With civilians allowed to rise as officers, it wouldn’t take many years for capable individuals from among the commoners and lesser nobility to form the backbone of the army. Promotions, however, would require strict supervision and verification by the General Staff.

Moreover, retaining these military aristocrats in their posts would minimize opposition. Once the royal family had full control of the military, dealing with them would be a trivial matter.

The old Marquis, overjoyed, immediately pledged loudly:
“Rest assured, Your Highness, discipline and regulations flow in my blood!” Then, hesitantly, he asked,
“Your Highness, what exactly is this ‘General Staff’?”

“Oh, it’s a new department we’re establishing to assist His Majesty in drafting battle plans and coordinating troop movements,” Joseph explained.
“In addition, your corps will undergo an organizational audit to eliminate any ghost soldiers and adjust the size of the corps to reflect its actual numbers.

“From now on, military pay will be issued directly by the General Staff, including your own salary. Likewise, weapons and equipment will be centrally procured and distributed by the General Staff. This way, you won’t have to worry about managing the corps’ finances. Naturally, you also won’t need to withhold funds like the conscription tax anymore.”

Marquis Luckner sighed inwardly. This essentially stripped him of financial control. However, since he still retained his position as commander and could think of other ways to make money in the future, he pinched his nose and agreed:
“Yes, Your Highness, I understand.”

What Joseph didn’t tell him was that the Gendarmerie would also be restructured, with civilians or lesser nobles taking key roles. Corruption among officers would become far more difficult moving forward.

Seeing the discussion proceed smoothly, Joseph wasted no time, declining the Marquis’s invitation to a banquet and heading directly to the next corps headquarters.

In the days ahead, he planned to use Marquis Luckner’s case as a template to address the major garrisons in the western and southern regions.

As Marquis Luckner dismounted from the carriage, bowing deeply to see the Crown Prince off, he suddenly heard Joseph remark:
“Oh, by the way, Marquis, I heard that your granddaughter is engaged to the Duke of Chartres?”

The Duke of Chartres was the son of the Duke of Orléans.

Marquis Luckner’s thoughts raced, immediately realizing that the Duke of Orléans was the true leader behind the attempt to coerce the royal family. Without hesitation, he replied:
“Your Highness, that’s merely a rumor. There’s no such arrangement! In fact, my second granddaughter has decided to join a convent.”

Joseph silently commended the old man’s decisiveness—choosing to send his granddaughter to become a nun just to sever all ties with the Duke of Orléans.

The Royal Guard Corps made almost no stops as they continued advancing westward.

However, Joseph hadn’t expected that three days after leaving Auvergne, he would encounter several generals from his “list” along the way.

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